A new publication released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the National Youth Affairs Research Scheme uses 1996 Census data to provide a unique insight into 12 to 25 year-olds in Tasmania.

The publication examines young people in terms of their distribution around the State, their cultural diversity, living arrangements, education status and working life. Additionally, it compares Tasmania's young people with the rest of the nation, and provides summary data on young people for all local government areas in Tasmania. Publications about youth in other States and Territories will be released over the next few weeks.

The National Youth Affairs Research Scheme is a cooperative arrangement between the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments to facilitate research into issues affecting young people.

Among the publication's key findings are that:

The number of young people (aged 12-25 years) counted in Tasmania decreased between 1991 and 1996, from 95,800 to 92,500. Over the same period the count of all Tasmanians increased by 1 per cent to 458,600.

More than 4 per cent of Tasmania's young people reported that they were of Indigenous origin. This was the highest proportion of any State or Territory, apart from the Northern Territory.

Just under five per cent of Tasmania's young people were born overseas. This is the smallest proportion of any other State or Territory and much lower than the national figure of 14 per cent.

Most 12 to 25 year-olds were still living with their parents, either as dependent children (under 15 years) - 22 per cent; as dependent students (aged 15 to 24 years) - 19 per cent; or as non-dependent children (aged over 15 years) - 19 per cent.

Young women were twice as likely than young men to have moved from the family home, forming partnerships and their own families - 21 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.

Between 1991 to 1996 there were increases in the proportions of young people attending school (34 per cent to 37 per cent) and higher education institutions (six per cent to seven per cent).

Between 1991 and 1996, the proportion of young people who were working part-time increased from 14 per cent to 19 per cent. Forty seven per cent of employed young women were in part-time work.

Details are in Tasmania's Young People, 1996 (cat. no. 4123.6) available in ABS bookshops in all capital cities.